Ex-Lisle chief takes over Sanford, Florida police department

A former Lisle police chief is taking the helm at the Sanford Police Department in Florida where he says he’ll conduct an “A to Z” review following fallout from the Trayvon Martin case.

Rick Myers, who was police chief in Lisle from 1991 to 1995, said Friday he wants to help heal the emotional wounds caused by the shooting death of Martin in February by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. He says he will reach out to people in Sanford who feel they’ve been ignored by the police.

Myers takes over in an interim role for former Chief Bill Lee, who stepped aside on a temporary basis after Martin’s death to let emotions cool down.

Authorities say 17-year-old Martin died during a fight with Zimmerman, who claims self-defense and has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge.

Myers left Lisle in 1995 to become chief in Appleton, Wis., where he stayed for 11 years. He then spent four years as police chief in Colorado Springs, Co., and until last month, was interim police chief in Manitou Springs, Co., according to his LinkedIn profile.